Defense saves season in 57-53 comeback win over Tigers in regional

HCHS's Josh Terry pulls down the rebound and looks back to lay it in during their game against Hoptown Wednesday night, March 7, 2007. Henderson won 57-53. (Gleaner photo by Darrin Phegley • 831-8375 or dphegley@thegleaner.com)

Antoinne Lightfoot (10) looks for the opening as Hoptown's Demarcus Carter (5) puts on the pressure during their game in Hopkinsville Wednesday night, March 7, 2007. (Gleaner photo by Darrin Phegley • 831-8375 or dphegley@thegleaner.com)

Henderson County High fans, led by K.J. O'Neal, center, cheer on the Colonels as the final second of their game against Hopkinsville wind down in Hopkinsville Wednesday night, March 7, 2007. (Gleaner photo by Darrin Phegley • 831-8375 or dphegley@thegleaner.com)

HOPKINSVILLE -- On the verge of elimination, Henderson County used its defense to save its season with a come-from-behind 57-53 win over Hopkinsville Wednesday in the first round of the Second Region Tournament.

The Colonels (23-5) had lost to the homestanding Tigers (19-12) earlier in the season and seemed bound for the same fate as they trailed 50-42 with 3:10 left in the game.

"We weren't worried," said senior Darius Haygan, who scored nine of his team-high 23 points in the final 3:00 to help pull out the win. "We knew it was going to be tough to come back. We just needed to give it everything we had."

Henderson County's full-court pressure forced Hopkinsville into three straight backcourt turnovers, while Josh Terry scored on a pair of offensive rebounds and Haygan sank a 3-pointer as part of a 12-0 run.

"We weren't that worried," said Terry, who added 16 points and a team-leading eight rebounds. "We had to pick it up on defense, and we did."

"Our kids never gave up even when we were down eight. Our defensive intensity picked up at the end," Henderson County coach Phil Gibson said. "I never felt like we were going to lose the game. We have a lot of seniors who step up in key situations. These guys are winners."

Terry gave the Colonels the lead for good at 51-50 with 1:53 to play with a reverse lay-in on an offensive rebound as he drew the foul from Hopkinsville's Darnell Davis. Though Terry missed his free throw, the Colonels increased their lead to 54-50 on one free throw by Ben Patterson and two from Haygan with 0:57.5 remaining.

Hopkinsville came back as Phillip Shepard hit the first of two free throws with 0:46.2 to play. Antwain Loving rebounded the missed second shot and put it back in to cut the lead to 54-53. Loving's basket, however, would be the Tigers' only field goal in the final 4:28 of the game.

Even though Terry missed two free throws with 0:29 to go, he helped redeem himself by tipping a Tiger inbound pass following a timeout and bouncing it off a Hopkinsville player for a crucial turnover.

"It seemed like Josh got his hand on every pass there at the end of the game," Gibson said.

From there, the Colonels clinched the win on one free throw by Antoinne Lightfoot and a pair by Haygan, who finished the game 11-of-11 from the stripe. As a team, the Colonels continue to struggle from the free-throw line as they were just 16-of-27. Hopkinsville was even worse at 13-of-23.

As in their 43-42 regular-season win over the Colonels, the Tigers forced a deliberate halfcourt game most of the way.

"We're going to have to stop playing the way other people want to play and play the way we want to play," Haygan said.

After Henderson built a 13-6 first quarter lead, Hopkinsville cut the margin to 22-21 and led 28-22 early in the third quarter as Henderson went over 5:00 without goal.

Jarrod Crowder ended the drought with a 3-pointer as he and Haygan brought the Colonels back to life with nine unanswered points.

The teams went back-and-forth until midway through the fourth quarter when Davis broke a 42-42 tie with a basket in the paint. Loving followed with a 3-pointer as the Tigers went on an 8-0 run to open up the 50-42 lead.